


Coda to The Astrophysicist Job

by kisahawklin



Category: Leverage, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multi, Post-heist cooldown pool party, Prime/Not Prime, Team Bonding, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22118299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisahawklin/pseuds/kisahawklin
Summary: AfterThe Astrophysicist Job, two teams relax together at Eliot's place.
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Comments: 14
Kudos: 78
Collections: Fandom Trumps Hate 2019





	Coda to The Astrophysicist Job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shaddyr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaddyr/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Astrophysicist Job](https://archiveofourown.org/works/357271) by [kisahawklin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisahawklin/pseuds/kisahawklin). 



> Thank you so much, Shaddyr, for donating to a good cause for Fandom Trumps Hate! I'm sorry this is a little bit late. Life, so unpredictable. Anyway, Shaddyr mentioned that they like The Astrophysicist Job and wanted team hanging out after a heist, so I thought... what's better than one team hanging out? TWO TEAMS! Hope you enjoy it, Shaddyr!

_It's not something you see every day_ , Sophie thinks, staring at the hulk of a man stretched out in a lounge chair by the pool. She never would have guessed aliens were so… handsome. 

Ronon stretches languidly and she's secretly glad for her sunglasses as she pretends she was watching Hardison cannonball off the diving board. "Another white wine?" Nate asks, handing her a glass and taking the seat next to her. "Eliot said you were running low."

She glances over her shoulder at the grill, where Eliot and Sheppard are arguing over how to cook burgers and McKay is fiddling with something on the propane tank. She has a feeling the burgers are all going to end up burnt, not that she cares. She raises her glass to Eliot and he grins and nods at her. 

The only two of their merry little band that can't be found are Parker and Teyla, and she would have a bad feeling about that except Teyla can clearly handle herself, and Parker took to the woman like she hasn't taken to anyone…. well, except Sophie. She's glad Parker's making friends. 

She's less glad when she sees her climb out of the highest window and somersault herself onto the roof of Eliot's house and Teyla follows directly behind. Teyla pulls a couple of sodas out of her pockets and hands one to Parker. 

Sophie sighs in contentment. Her team, seeing them happy like this after a job well done, is satisfying in the extreme. She settles in, relaxing back in the chair and keeping her eyes on… well, everyone. This is her family, and while she can tell Sheppard and his team are family, too, Sophie takes a long time to trust new people. 

It only takes a brief nap in the sun before Ronon's (apparently solar) batteries are charged, and he hops up to grab a beer out of the cooler. He's playfully punching Sheppard, who puts his hands up in self-defense, and winces every time Ronon gets around them and lands a friendly punch. 

"Teyla," he calls up to her when Sheppard finally calls it quits. "Let's spar!"

Teyla shakes her head, pointing behind him. Ronon turns around and looks at Eliot. Eliot isn't easily intimidated. Ronon is huge, but Eliot's taken out plenty of huge guys before. Something about Ronon is a challenge for Eliot, and that's not something he runs into very often. He doesn't back down from a fight, though – especially not one that might be a learning opportunity. 

Eliot shrugs, and Ronon shrugs, and Sheppard backs out of the way. Sophie stands, leaning on the railing of the pool area to watch. McKay comes over and stands on her right and says, "He's really impressive."

Sophie turns to him. He's an irascible guy, but clearly brilliant. She knows the shine of genius, even if it's one talking a language she doesn't speak. "Ronon?" she asks. "Yes, impressive is a good word. Intimidating is another."

McKay turns to her and smiles. "Oh, no. I mean, yes, he is impressive _and_ intimidating, but I meant Spencer. Not many people stand up to Ronon the way he did and last more than a minute or two."

Sophie shrugs. "I could say the same about Eliot. He's shockingly good at violence."

The sparring is good – Eliot uses his height to good effect, though Ronon is still stunningly fast. Neither of them is hitting for damage, though, just light taps to indicate a point scored. Most of the shots are blocked. 

"Teyla does that too," McKay says. "Uses her shortness against Ronon."

Sophie grins, not commenting, but Nate comes to Eliot's defense. "Hey, just because Ronon is a giant doesn't mean Eliot is short."

McKay scoffs. "He's shorter than _me_."

"So, McKay," Nate says, turning his back on the sparring. "I'm not an engineer, but I know a thing or two. What in the hell was it that you built in that warehouse?"

Sophie fakes checking on Parker and Teyla – hanging from Eliot's roof now, likely trying to jump onto the second story balcony – to glimpse McKay's facial expression. He's pleased – his smug attitude is what got him in trouble with Eliot early on – but also nervous. There's something about his eyes that tells Sophie whatever they're talking about is probably classified, the way the existence of Ronon and Teyla is classified. 

Sheppard seems to be hyperaware of McKay's nervousness too, as he seems to appear out of nowhere and smile his way into the conversation. "McKay," he says, before turning his smarmy grin on Nate. "Ford."

"Sheppard," Nate says, a note of expectation in his voice. Sophie goes back to watching the sparring and keeps her eyes half shut to listen in.

"Whatcha talking about?" Sheppard asks, jostling McKay enough to make him grunt in displeasure. 

"Nothing," Rodney says, at the same time Nate says, "the weird engine thing that McKay built in that warehouse."

"Mmm," Sheppard says, and there's a pause that Sophie definitely wishes she could turn around for; there's a fine tension in it that reminds her of a really good con. "That warehouse doesn't exist, so technically neither does whatever Rodney built."

Good to know her instincts were right. Whatever this group is up to – and with two aliens on the team, it can't be small potatoes – it's beyond her pay grade. She takes her wine and wanders over to where Hardison is just climbing out of the pool. "Hey Hardison," she says quietly, waiting for him to look at her before continuing. "Did you ever backtrack who owns that warehouse?"

Hardison's eyes get very big and she has to grab his face before he turns around and gives something away. "Focus. Only look at me." Hardison nods. 

"So, government?" she asks, which is really obvious considering the Air Force Colonel heading up the team. Hardison nods again. 

"What, like NSA? CIA?" 

Hardison shakes his head. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Hardison shrugs. "I mean that I couldn't even crack McKay's laptop, much less the security around whatever the hell he was doing. The warehouse has about ten shell companies on top of it, but it's definitely a government agency that doesn't want people to know about it. Did you even see some of the stuff that was in there? Those were definitely _not_ prototype jets or whatever Sheppard was talking about."

Sophie nods. It's probably best not to pry. Just knowing about Ronon and Teyla has probably put them on some sort of list that she's quite sure she'd rather not be on. "I don't suppose you could at least find out if we've been investigated, and backtrack the trail to erase…" She waves her hand, indicating _whatever might be there_.

A grin breaks over Hardison's face then. "Oh, don't worry, I got us covered. I might not be able to figure out who it is, but I do know how to erase that information from literally anywhere. Except maybe McKay's laptop." He glances over his shoulder at his fellow geek, waving and smiling. "And I think that's probably fine. He's only with them because they're doing cool stuff, not because they're government types. He's from Canada you know."

Sophie rolls her eyes. She knows. It's impossible to miss. He brings it up in conversation every half an hour or so.

"I did manage to crack his email, though," Hardison says, leaning in a little. "And the names of people in his contacts were pretty international. So it's probably not a U.S. operation anyway."

"What're you talking about?" Parker asks as she comes up, leaning in as if it's a secret. 

"Nothing important," Sophie says, taking half a step back to open their little circle. "Teyla," she says, lifting her glass. "Thanks for your help with that bodyguard."

Teyla smiles brightly and says, "Thank you for your assistance in –"

"Teyla!" Sheppard calls, jogging over. She turns to him, one eyebrow raised. To his credit, Sheppard looks a little sheepish when he diverts the conversation, and shrugs at her when she rolls her eyes at him.

"How about something more interesting to drink?" Sophie says, raising an eyebrow at the grape soda in Teyla's hand.

"Oh, I like this," Teyla says, "but I am always willing to try something new. Maybe on the next round."

"So McKay," Nate says, his completely disingenuous smile on his face. "Don't suppose you play chess?"

McKay glances at Sheppard and the turned-down corner of his mouth turns into a frown. "I don't enjoy it," he says darkly. "But we've got a game we play on At –" Sheppard knocks his shoulder into McKay, hard.

McKay rubs it and scowls at Sheppard. "On _base_. It's fun. It's called Prime/Not-Prime."

Whatever weird pissing contest is trying to happen here, she's not interested. She looks around at the lounge chairs, trying to find one she can get to, when Parker says, "That sounds fun. Can I play?"

McKay looks so genuinely annoyed, Sophie has to laugh. "Do you know what prime numbers _are_?" he asks, the acid in his voice stopping her laughter in her throat. No one talks to Parker that way. She's about to say something when Parker speaks up.

"Sure," Parker says, shrugging. "Numbers only divisible by 1 and the number itself. They teach you that in grade school."

Sheppard laughs, which almost covers McKay's squeak of outrage. "Come on, let her play," Sheppard says magnanimously. "I'll go first. Parker – prime or not prime: 51."

Parker looks at him like he's stupid. "Not prime." She turns to McKay and says, "103,717."

McKay gapes at her. "You don't know whether or not that's prime," he says. She looks at him innocently. "You didn't say _I_ had to know."

Sheppard is bent over laughing now, and McKay looks more disgruntled than ever. "Not prime," he says, but he doesn't look certain about it. Parker just hums. McKay turns to Sheppard and says, "65,537."

"Fermat prime." He grins, practically beaming at McKay. "Taking it easy on me because you're going to get beat at your own game by a thief?" 

McKay blushes, but remains silent. "Okay, Parker," Sheppard says, screwing up his face in concentration. "99,371."

"Prime," Parker says, not even taking a second to think about it. "48,799."

McKay rolls his eyes. "Not prime."

"Wrong," Parker says, and then before McKay can give another number to Sheppard, "Okay, I'm bored. I'm going to climb Eliot's tree." She drops over the side of the deck gracefully.

McKay is left with his mouth hanging open, and Sheppard is wearing a delighted grin. "You're something else, Parker," he says, plopping down into the lounger on his left. "C'mon, McKay, take a rest before your brain explodes."

Nate pats him condescendingly on the shoulder. "Parker will do that to you. Can I get you guys a drink?"

"Beer, thanks," Sheppard says, yanking on McKay's sleeve and tumbling him down into a chair. "For McKay too."

Eliot and Ronon come up at that point, huge smiles on their faces. Eliot's cheekbone is swelling, starting to force that eye closed, and Ronon has a fat lip. They strip their shirts off in unison and dive into the pool. 

Sophie only stares for a moment. Eliot's not showy – it's obvious he's built like someone who fights for a living – but he's not shy, either, so she's seen him in various states of undress. Ronon is a lot to take in, but while it's nice to look at, it's never really been what she's attracted to. She takes a look around the pool, noting Teyla's smile of fondness, Hardison's disbelief, Parker's disinterest, Sheppard's obvious avoidance, and McKay's obvious stare of appreciation.

Sheppard punches him on the arm, and when McKay turns to complain at him, his eyes go soft. "Oh come on," he whispers. 

It's a good thing Sophie knows how to read lips. 

"It doesn't hurt to look." He squeezes Sheppard's thigh, and it dawns on Sophie that's what Nate meant when he said if they could get Sheppard, McKay would do whatever they want. 

She's glad they ended up working together; she can't imagine the disaster it would've been if they were working against each other. 

Suddenly a burning smell comes to her and she glances down at the grill. She knew those burgers were going to burn. She shrugs, turning back to Ronon and Eliot's splash fight that Hardison has joined in. Looks like they'll be ordering in.


End file.
